George Russell has questioned Formula 1 rules regarding aerodynamic testing for each team over the course of a season.
Currently, the system works on a sliding scale. The top team is allowed only to complete 70% of the base number of wind tunnel runs allowed over the following year. That figure then increases by five per cent per team going down the result of the constructors' championship.
So Red Bull can complete the fewest number of testing runs this year, owing to their 2022 championship success. They only have 63% of runs available thanks to their penalty for breaching F1's cost cap, which saw them lost 10% of their allocation.
In comparison, Ferrari have 75% of the total to play with and Mercedes 80%. Williams, who finished bottom of the 2022 standings, can complete 115% the base number of wind tunnel runs.
The rule was introduced in order to help narrow the gap between the top and bottom teams. By giving those at the back more testing time, the theory was that they would be able to produce a better car and close the performance chasm.
But, so far, there is not a great deal of evidence to suggest it has had the desired effect. Only Aston Martin, who had 100% of the allocation to play with after finishing seventh last year, have made significant strides in terms of car performance.
Discussing the issue, Russell admitted he is not sure how the field can be brought closer together. But the Mercedes driver is sceptical about the sliding scale of aerodynamic testing and its effectiveness.
"From a technical standpoint, I have no view or idea how that could be achieved and obviously, we've only been a couple of years now into the aero regulation and the handicap system, but it hasn't drastically changed anything up and down the order," he told reporters.
"Maybe the only team you can argue is Aston Martin, but I think that's probably via, you know, certain engineers joining to help push in the right direction. You could give quadruple the amount of wind tunnel time to the team at the bottom over the one at the top and the one at the top would probably still come out in the lead."
Red Bull have been running away with the titles so far this year despite their wind tunnel handicap. Nevertheless, team principal Christian Horner has insisted the loss of that aerodynamic testing time has "limited significantly" the amount of development work they have been able to do on their cars.
